Mower



Jan. 8, 1924; 1,480,115

C. 'A. A. RAND MOWER Filed May 2', 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. is, I924. 1.480115 C. A. A. RAND MOWER Filed May 2, 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IvwenZo 71' Band Jan. 8, 192 4. 1,480,115 7 c. A. A. RAND MOWER Filed May 2, 1919 :s Sheets-Sheet 5 l/Llhllll "I Q h w g? Milli 4a 1m l L @llllilllllllllllllfilill|Iillllllllllllllllllllll l.

Patented Jan. 8, 1924.

means UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlfiE.

CHARLES A. A. RAND, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO INTERNATIONAL VESTER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

HAR-

MOEVER.

Application filed May 2,

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. A. RAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mowers, of which th following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to mowing machines, and more particularly to machines for lifting the cutting apparatus and tilting the same to vertical position. I

At the present time, and in the near fu ture, both in the United States and in other countries, the operators of farm implements will, many of them, be handicapped by the loss of an arm or a leg; for this reason implements, such as mowing machines, should be so designed and constructed that the essential adjustments can be made by an operator even though he be handicapped in the manner above described.

The present invention has for its object, therefore, to provide a mowing machine in which the essential adjustments and the controlling levers for making the adjustments, may be operated by either the hand or the foot of the operator.

More specifically stated, the invention has for its object to so construct and arrange the levers on a mowing machine and to so connect them to the parts to be adjusted thereby, that the levers may be controlled by either the hand or the foot, and may be adjusted with a minimum expenditure of force on the part of the operator.

A further object is to provide a construction of lifting mechanism in which the weight of the elements to be lifted is very largely counterbalanced by suitable counterbalancingmeans after a slight initial movement of the lifting mechanism, thereby minimizing the force required to manipulate the lifting mechanism.

A still further object is to so arrange and locate the controlling mechanism that is will be within easy reach of the operator at all times and will be located in such a position that it may be operated by hand or by foot, as desired. I

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists, briefly, in controlling means such as levers, so mounted on a mowing machine and so constructed as to be operable by either hand or foot, and, more- 1919. Serial No. 294,195.

over, a construction in which the counterbalancing means 1S so connected with the controlling means that it will be brought into action after a slight initial movement of the controlling means.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings one embodiment of my invention, and in these drawings,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the mowing machine with my improved lifting mechanism thereon;

Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the construction shown along line 22 in F ig. 1, the cutting apparatus being shown in its operative position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the lifting levers in the position taken after they have been ma-- nipulated to lift the cutting apparatus to vertical position;

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation, similar to Fig. 3, but showing the lifting levers in the position taken after the cutting apparatus has been lifted to plain lift position;

Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view, partly in section, taken along line 55 of the construction shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the improved lifting mechanism, showing this mechanism in the position shown in Fig. 3, and taken along line 6-6 in said figure looking int-he. direction of the arrows;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of the lifting mechanism; 1

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view showing in plan the lever which carries the hand levers and foot levers;

Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate respectively, in plan and side elevation, the construction of the locking pawl;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken along line 11l1 of Fig. 1 showing in enlarged detail the locking pawl and lever which car rice the pawl; and

Fig. .12 is an enlarged detail view showing in side elevation the construction of thenotched sector with which the locking pawl cooperates to hold the lifting mechanism in adjusted position. l

The frame of the mowing machine is carried inthe usual manner on the aXleQl and is supported by wheels 22. The ma chine frame has formed integrally therewith a forwardly extending shaft casing '23 through which extends the usual drlve'shaft for the cutting apparatus, carrying at its front end a flywheel 24 which in turn carries a forwardly projecting crank pin 25. The pin 25 is connected to the cutting apparatus by the usua pitnian connectlon KIIUL shown).

The cutting apparatus 26 is in the present instancepivotally supported at 27 and 28 on the grassward end of the coupling frame 29, having a stubbleward end 30 adjustably secured by a screw thre ded connection to a bracket 31 pivoted at 82 to cars 33 carried by the casting 23. The pivotal support 27 above referred to, is carried by a bracket 34 secured to the grassward end of the coupling -frame, 29. This bracket 34 is also braced on the machine frame by the usual brace bar 36 which is pivoted at 3*" to the bracket 34 and at 38 to the frame 20.

The lifting mechanism torthe cutting apparatus is secured to a forwardly projecting portion 39 of the machine frame, this hitting mechanism being supported on a pivot pin 40 which is secured to a. sleeve 41 formed integral with a bracket 42 carried by the portion 39 of the frame. addition to forming the support for the pivot pin which carries the lifting levers, has also torn'ied thereon upwardly projecting teeth 43 and 44, these teeth cooperating in a manner hereinafter described, with the lever locking mechanism to hold the lever mechanism in adjusted position.

The pivot pin 40 above described ha; pivotally mounted thereon a sleeve formed integral with a lifting member 45, this lifting member acting as a lever and being manipulated in a manner more fully hereinafter described. This member is tormed substantially straight on one do, or

on its lower side, and has a substantially semi-circular formation shown at 47, on its upper side. At its front end the meml'ser 46 is provided with an eye 48 through which passes the upper hooked cud ot a link 49 as shown mrt-icularly i n 1 The linie ifi is pivotally connected at US lower end to a gag in'ei'i'iber at) which has pivotally secured to its opposite end a lint: Th linlr which is pivoted to the lower end of the member 50', is connected at its opposite end by means 01" a link 52 to shoe 58 carried at the stubblew'ard end of the cutting appa ratus.

From the above description it will be seen, therefore, that the lifting member or lever 46 is operatively connected to the cutting apparatus, these operative connections not being claimed per so, since they are not ii tl'ien'iselves novel.

The upper portion 47 of the lifting member 46 is provided as shown in nig. 8 with an offset lug 54 having an aperture 55 disposed in alin'eii nt witl an aperture 56 formed in a forwardly pro ecting lug 57,

The bracket 42 in.

also termed on the portion 47 of the lifting mci'i'iber. [in operating lever 58 having two upwardly extending arms and 60 is pivotally mounted on a pin 61 which is secured in the alined apertures 55 and 56 formed in the lugs 54 and 57. The movement oi the lever 58 on its pivot 61 is limited by the upper and lower walls 62 and 63, respectively, or" an o-ii'set guiding portion 64, formed on the side 01 the upper portion 47 19 lifting member 46, this guiding porii enclosing the lining lever 58 as arly shown in Figs. 6' and '2.

The pivot pin (31 above described, in addition to 'arrying the lever 58, also pivotally carries a pawl 65 having a tooth 66 at its rear end adapted to engage with the teeth 43 and 44 in the bracket, Means is provided tor normally forcing this pawl in a 1 direction, this means comprising dowirvaro a spring 66 which is positioned between an oiij'set lug 67 liorni'e'd on the portion 47 of the lifting member 46', and an offset lug (38 which projects laterally from the pawl 65, this construction being shown in detail in Fig. 11. The arm 59 of the lever 58 is provided at its free end with a handle 69 which may grasped by tl e operator, and the arm -60 is also provided with a handle 70 which may be grasped by the hand ot the operator, or may be engaged by the toot oi the operator, as desired. The foot lever 71 is also pivoted to the lifting lever 46 on a pivot pin '4" 2 which passes through alined apertures forn'ied in the lifting member 46 and in an oti set portion 7 Movement of the lever '71 about its pivot is limited in the downward direction by an adjustable screw which is threaded into a rearwardly extent -ng lug 75 tor-med on the member 46, and in an upward direction. b the wall 76 which connects the oitsct portion 73 with the main portion of the lifting. member 46.

in order to assist the operator in raising the cutting apparati'is, counterbalancing means is pr ed, this means co rising a spring T7 adgr tabiv secured at its 1. to a sector be clret 7-8 and at its ttront end secured to rear end 79 ot a link 80, the front end of which is formed integral with, or secured to, the pivot pin 61 before described.

As shown in Fig. 2, the lifting force of the spring 7'? is normally substantially inoperative, since the link SOengages the outer end of the pivot pin 40 which carries the lifting lever 46'. However, soon as one of the lifting levers has been actuated to raise the pivot pin 61 or the pivotal connection between the link '80 and the member 46 above a line passing through the rear end of the spring and the pivot pin 49, the littin'g force of the spring comes into action and counterbalances the weight of the cutting apparatus, thereby assistii the open ator in raising the cutting, appi ratus, The

ear end lifting lever 58 when moved in a clockwise direction about its pivot, operates as a releasing member for the pawl 65 since the pawl 65 has integrally formed thereon an offset lug 81 which is positioned over the The usual tilting mechanism for the cutting apparatus is provided and comprises a lever 82 pivoted at 83 to the mower frame and connected at its lower end by means of a link 84: to the upper end 85 of the bracket 34 hereinbefore described. The lever 82 is provided in the usual manner with a pawl not shown) which cooperates with the notches 86 formed on the upper edge of the sector 78 to hold the lever in any desired position of adjustment.

It is usually found desirable to adjust the foot lever 71 by means of the screw 7 k to a position in which the rear end of the foot lever will engage the frame 20 of the mower prior to the engagement of tooth 43 by the pawl 65, since with the lever adjusted in this position, the operator may raise the cutting apparatus to plain lift position and lower it again to operative position without the necessity of releasing the pawl from the teeth in the bracket 42.

Having described the construction of my improved lifting mechanism, the various methods of operating this mechanism will be briefly set forth.

Assuming, in the first place, that the operator is handicapped by the loss of his arms and therefore must make the adjustments entirely by means of his feet, if it is desired to lift the cutting apparatus to plain lift position, to pass over some obstacle in the path of the mower, this may be accomplished by merely pressing downward on the foot lever 71, a slight downward pressure being suilicient to lift the cutting apparatus to plain lift position. After the obstacle has been passed the operator releases the foot lever and the cutting apparatus will return to normal operative position.

Assuu'iing, as in the first instance, that the operator is handicapped by the loss of his arms. but in this case that he desires to lift the cutting apparatus to vertical lift position. this maybe done by pressing downward on the foot lever 71 with a strong abrupt pressure. If the foot lever 71 which is pivoted to the lifting mechanism is forced downwardly in this manner, until it strikes the frame 20 of the mower. the momentum imparted to the lifting mechanism together with the lifting force exerted by the counterbalancing spring 77 will cause the cutting apparatus to be swung into vertical lift posi tics, in wh ch position the pawl 65 will engage the tooth l l and retain the apparatus in vertical position. In order to release the cutting apparatus, the operator will engage with his foot the handle 70 carried by the arm of the lever 58, and press forwardly on this handle thereby swinging the lever 58 about its pivot causing the pawl to be released from the tooth a4 and the weight of the cutting apparatus will cause it to return to normal or operative position.

Assuming, for another example, that the operator is handicapped by the loss of his feet, but desires to lift the cutting apparatus to plain or vertical position,to lift the apparatus to plain lift position the operator will grasp the handle 69 of the rearwardly extending portion of the lever 58 andwill pull rearwardly on this handle until the cutting apparatus has reached a sufiicient height to pass over the obstacle in the path thereof. In order to lift the apparatus to vertical position, a. stronger force on the handle 69 will be exerted, and this force aided by the spring 77 will cause the apparatus to swing to vertical position. The return movement of the cutting apparatus is accomplished as in the manner above set forth,but in this case the handle carried by the arm 60 of the lever 58 or the handle 69, will be engaged by the hand of the operator instead of by the foot.

There are various other methods of operating the lifting mechanism which will doubtless occur to the operator as he per forms the various adjustments. For instance, the portion of the arm 59 adjacent the lifting member is so constructed and arranged that it may be engaged by the foot of the operator when the lifting member has been actuated to raise the cutting apparatus to plain lift position, and therefore the arm 59 may be actuated by the operators foot to raise the cutting apparatus from plain tovertical lift position.

In all of the methods above described, the counterbalancing spring comes into action after a slight initial movement of the lift ing lever 46, and ma be adjusted to exert operator, and the releasing of the cutting apparatus may likewise be performed by hand or foot. The lifting levers, by means of which the cutting apparatus is raised and lowered, are moreover, arranged in such a manner that'they are always easily accessible and may be manipulated by anoperator I ll) who handicapped by the loss of arms or legs.

Although, the above specification, I have described but one embodiment of my lDVGl'lillOll, it will be readily understood that the invention is capable of modification, and that modifications and. changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the fol lowing;- claims.

1. In a meweit'. a frame, cutting apparatus carried thereby, lifting mechanism carried by said frame and operitively co;n-- nected to end cutting apparatus. said lift mg mechanism oomprisin a lifting member pivoted on said flA-BIC, operative connections between said lifting member and said cuttin apparatus, a lifting leve' carried 1 said lifting: member and having; a plurality of upwardly extending portions and means for adjusting said cutting apparatus by manipulating any of said portions.

2. In a mower, a frame, cutt-i apparatus carried thereby, liftingmechanism ca-r ried by said frau'ie and operatively ((91% nected to said cutting; ap-i pa-ratus, said lift ing mechanism comprisii a liftingmember pivoted on said frame, means pivot-ally mounted on sa member for locking said cutting apparatus in predetermined positions of adjustment, and means mounted on the pivot'of said first named means for con-- trolling said first named means,

3. In a mower, frame, cutting pparatus carried thereby, lifting mechanism ried by said frame and operatively connected to said cutting apparatus. said lifting mechanism com arising a lifting member, means carried by said member for locking said cutting apparatus in predetermined positions, and means carried by said member for unlocking said first mentioned means.

4:. In a mower, a tus carried "thei-eby, =lif ins; mechani m -op eratively connected to said cutting); :21 paratus and comprising a lifting member pivoted on said frame, ruperative com'iections between said liftingmember and said cutting apparatus, a lifting lever pivoted on said lifting member and limited in its movement with respect thereto, andmeanson the pivot of said dever for docking said cutting apparatus in predetermined positions.

5. In a mower, frame, cutting apparatus carried thereby, lifting mechanism for said cutting apparatuscomprising a lifting member pivoted to said frame, operative connections between said lifting member and said. cutting apparatus, a notched sector carried by said frame, a pawl pivoted to said lifting" member and adapted to engage said notched sector. and a lifting lever for manipulating said lifting member and havin o; a portiondisposed .in the path of moveframe, cutting appara ing member. means normally ,pizcssir j ment of said pawl and adapted to release said pawl from looking engagement with said notched sector as said lifting lever is moved. in a predetermined direction about its pivot.

6. In a mower, a frame, cutting appara tus carried thereby, a lifting member piv oted to said frame, operative connections between said lifting member and said cut ting apparatus, a pawl pivoted to said liftsaid pawl in a downward direction, ..i notched sector carried by said frame and disposed in the path of moremeut of said pawl, and a lifting lever having a pli-irality of upwardly extending arms and having a portion disposed in the path of movement of said pawl and. adapted to lift said pawl out of engagement with said notched sector as said lifting lever is moved in a predetermined direction about its pivot.

7. In a mower, a frame, cutting apparatus carried thereby, lifting mechanism for said cutting; apparatus comprising a lifting memher. a foot lever adjustably carried by said lifting .member and extending rearwardly therefrom, a hand lever having a plurality of upwardly extending arms pivotally connected to said lifting member, a counterbalancing spring operatively connected between said frame and said lifting member and means for adjusting said. cutting apparatus by any one of said arms.

8. In a mower, a frame, cu ling; .apparatus carried thereby, a lifting member pivot ed to said frame, operativeconnections between said lifting; member and said cutting apparatus, a notched sector carried by said frame, a pawl pivot-ed on said lifting member and adapted to engage said notched sector, and a lifting lever piyoted on said lifting member and having upwardly extending arms, said :lifting; lever having a portion disposed .in the path of movement of said pawl and adapted to release said pawl from said notched sector.

9. In 'a mower, a frame. a seat carried thereb cutting apparatus carried by said frame, lifting; mechanism for said cutting apparatus comprising a lifting member, operative connections between said lifting member and said cutting; apparatus, and a lifting lever pivoted .to said lifting: member and having plurality of upwardly extending arms whereby at least one arm extends forwardly of said seat in all positions of-adjustment-of the cutting apparatus.

10. En mower, -frame,a seat carried thereby, cutting apparatus carried by said frame, a notched sector carried by said frame, a liftingmembeii' pivotedon said sector-operatively.cdnnected to said cutting; apparatus, and a lever carried bysaid lifting member andhaving a plurality of upwardly extendingarms-diverging from said lifting lll) member and positioned at difierent distances from said seat.

11. In a mower a frame, a seat carried thereby, cutting apparatus carried by said frame, lifting mechanism for said cutting apparatus including a lifting lever having a plurality of upwardly extending arms, one of said arms being normally located in a position to be engaged by the hand of the operator When said cutting apparatus is in 10 operative position, and another of said arms being located in a position to be engaged by the operator when said cutting apparatus has been lifted.

In testimony whereof I affix my signa- 15 ture.

CHARLES A. A. RAND. 

